Steering baby carriage



April 16, 1946. E. LACHANCE 2,398,650

' STEERING BABY CARRIAGE v Filed Feb. 28, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Index/$0 2 Edouamiflarha nee.

Apnl 16, 1946. r-.:. LACHANCE 2,398,650

STEERING BABY CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26' 24Invewiovfi 6 rd defiance u g f r r Patented Apr. 16, 1946 V i to F. A.Whitney Carriage Company, Leominster, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application February 28, 1945; Serial No; 580,193

N, 4Clairns. (o1.2s-'--I48)' p p This invention relates to steerablebaby carend pivot of both the crossed-and the openpairs riages andtheobject is to providea' carriage of links: In the present instance theunitary wherein the body and non-rotatable wheeled axles rigid' relationof the corresponding elements of are connected for support of the formerfrom each pair of links connects the axles and member the latter atboth'sides of i the center line and l6 insuch manner as to enforcethedesiredsteerthe parts are correlated to effect a steering move ingmovement. I v ment of at least one of the axles when pressureThesteering in the arrangement shown is priis exerted on the body tostart a turn, this corremarily through the rear wheels in a mannerlation being such as to provide a superior track somewhat analogous tothe action of a rudder. ing relation between the pairs of wheels.Referring to Fig. 1 (which it should be recalled My invention will bewell understood by refis a bottom plan or worms-eye view so that righterence to the following description of the illusand left are reversed),if it is desired to make trative embodiment thereof shown by way of aturn to the right, that is, to the left viewing example in theaccompanying drawings, wherein: the figure, pressure is exerted on theend of push- Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the carriage l5 er bar I2at the outside of the turn, that is, on showing the running gear inposition for straightthe right-hand side in the figure. This tends toahead movement; swing thebar and the member l6 counterclock- Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. 1 showing the wise viewing the figure. The resultis to swing parts in the position they assume in making a the rear axle22 clockwise, as shown in Fig. 2, turn in a direction downwardly at theleft in to make the turn.

the figure; and I have above referred to the links 26 as sub- Fig. 3 isan enlarged section on the line 3-3 stantially parallel. In the drawingsthey diverge of Fig. 1. slightly from the central member [6 to thefrontThe carriage may have a body Ill of any suitaxle 20. This causes aslight movement of the able form which may have a pusher bar l2 di- 2front wheels in the direction of the turn. The rectly connected thereto.The body is hung from slight resultant tendency of the linkage to bindthe end of longitudinal springs M at the sides is compensated for byprovidin as best seen in thereof, which springs may be considered aspart Fig. 3, a slight clearance in one of the parts for of an underframecomprising the centrally disthe pivots 28. This figure also shows thatpivots posed member l6 extending transversely beneath 28 pass throughthe arcuate braces l8 to connect the body and herein shown as connectedto the the latter to cross-member l6. An extended springs directly atits ends and by means of arcubearing for the pivot is thus provided. atebraces l8. At the ends of the body are front The arrangements describedprovide a very and rear non-rotatable wheeled axles 20 and 22 desirabletracking relation of the pairs of wheels respectively, the connection ofthe underframe during the turn. to these axles being by a suitablelinkage, such, To limit th movement of th li ka 1 h for example, as thatshown and hereinafter more Show U-shaped strap 30 connected t one offully described. J' pairs f p nts n the the crossed links 24, the strapembracing the member l6 and on the axles which are located companionlink. The arms of the U thus form toward the ends of said pa remote fromthe 40 abutments for the sides of the latter link, limitcenter line ofth V which nk wordiing their relative movement in the manner illusnatesthe parts in such a manner that a prestrated in Fig, 2. sure exerted onone end of the transverse mem- I am wa that th invention may be embodiedber s by pressing o e end of the pusher in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the bar l Will cause a cramping movement of at spirit oressential attributes thereof, and I thereleast one axle to steer thevehicle in the desired fore desire the present embodiment to becondirection. sidered in all respects as illustrative and not re- Hereinthe me 1 connected to the rear strlctive, as is in fact clear in severalmatters axle 22 by Crossed links 24 d 150 the front axle from thedescription itself. Reference is to be 20 by op n or uncrossed links 26,whi h may be 3 had to the appended claims to indicate those para lel onearly so. these herein being formed principles of the inventionexemplified by the as the end portions of one-piece longitudinalparticular embodiment described n which I reaches pivoted at theirmiddle portions on the desire t secure by L tt r P t t, vertical pivots28 adjacent the ends of the cross I claim;

member, these pivots constituting the common 1. A baby carriage or thlike comprising between one axle and the member and being v crossedbetween the member and the other axle.

2. A baby carriage or the like comprising a body-supporting underframeincluding a cen trally disposed member extending transversely beneaththe body, wheeled non-rotatable axles at front and rear respectively,and "means for supporting said member and through it said-body from saidaxles comprising longitudinal reaches pivoted for movement in ahorizontal plane at points adjacent the ends of the member and of theaxlesand diverging from said member to the front axle andcrossed betweensaid member and therear axle. I I V g 3 Ababy carriage or thelikelcomprising a body-supporting underframe including "a centrallydisposed member extending transversely beneath the body, whe'elednon-rotatable axles at front and rear respectively, and a linkworkoperating substantially in a horizontal plane connect ing the member andaxles for coordinated and mutually enforced movements, said linkagecomprising the sole supporting connection of said axles with theunderframe and body and comprising crossed links between one axle andthe member'and uncrossed links between the memher and theother axle.

4. A baby carriage or the like comprising a body-supporting underframeincluding a centrally disposed member extending transversely beneath thebody, wheeled non-rotatable axles at front and rear respectively, and alinkwork operating substantially in a horizontal plane connecting themember and axles for coordinated f and mutually enforced movements, saidlinkage comprising the sole supporting connection of said axles with theunderframe and body and comprising crossed links between one axle andthe member and uncrossed linksbetween the memher and the other axle, oneof the crossed links having abutments adjacent their point of crossingto engage the sides of the other link to delimit the relative movementsthereof.

7 EDOUARD LACHANCE.

